Well so long good friend..

[ken9]

ahh i remember teh ps1..me and my bro would take turn playing and fighting over it...good times...good times lol i wonder what my future son and i will play...maybe some shooter game with crazy graphics like GOW and R:FOM lol

[dlanor]

It'll be a while before my scph-7501 gets put up. Just because I hate running discs in my ps2. Even installed an external switch to make my ps1 think the lid is shut for loading backups.

You mean that's all it takes to play CD-R games... No mod-chip needed ?

If so, I think I'll try that myself, at least on my old SCPH-5552. Though older, and bought second hand at that, this PSX is in a lot better condition than my newer 'slim PSone' SCPH-102 (Btw: both are PAL units).

The slim model is made in too soft plastic, so the part of the CD lid that needs to lock the 'catch' to hold it closed has become worn out, so I need to hold that lid closed by scotch-tape...! That's why I bought the second hand PSX in the first place. Since it's much more 'sturdy' it'll probably run another ten years, even though it already has more running time than the slim model.

Anyway, to get back to my main poiint, I have tons of backup PS1 CD's that I've been using with the PS2 as well as with PC emulators, and I'd love to use them with that old PSX as well, especially if an extra SPST switch is all it takes. I'm just wondering if it really can be that simple... Doesn't the BIOS explicitly check the disc type at all ?

Best regards: dlanor

[Bootlegninja]

that and with a pressed gameshark for "swap disc". I installed that switch to replace the spring that was used to hold the lid button for this trick. In a little while I'll take it apart and take a picture on where to solder if you like.

Edit - @ dlanor - The solder points are about double the size of the average one on a ps2 so its easier to do any soldering on this system. The pictures attached are of a NTSC system and I'm not sure if there is any difference between the board layout. Also, if you mount the switch above the plug like I have, the wire has to be run or even fixed to the case so that it doesn't sag down on to the bare AC leads. Hot glue can take care of this. The wire used is 24 gauge IDE cable. But if you don't want to go that route, a spring holding the lid button down has the same effect as this. I just did this because I got to lazy to mess with the spring.

First picture is of the bottom side of the mother board. (scanners are great )
Second is of the back side of the case (I know my camera sucks)

[dlanor]

that and with a pressed gameshark for "swap disc".

Oh! In that case I'm probably out of luck, as I've NEVER seen one of those over here, and finding one in this day and age is probably impossible.

The only semi-related disc I do have is an 'Action Replay' disc, but the instruction sheet (still preserved through some miraculous chance) doesn't mention anything about any 'swap' capabilities. It just has the expected info on how to use cheat codes. Even so, I do believe that 'Action Replay' is pretty much the same thing as the 'GameShark' though I'm not sure if their functionality is fully identical.

I installed that switch to replace the spring that was used to hold the lid button for this trick. In a little while I'll take it apart and take a picture on where to solder if you like.

Edit - @ dlanor - The solder points are about double the size of the average one on a ps2 so its easier to do any soldering on this system.

I assumed it would be, and to me that's important, as my eyesight is not sufficiently sharp to allow working on the latest PCB designs, and working with a magnifying glass all the time is not very practical. I've almost given up on my old electronics hobby, at least when it comes to modern stuff.

The pictures attached are of a NTSC system and I'm not sure if there is any difference between the board layout. Also, if you mount the switch above the plug like I have, the wire has to be run or even fixed to the case so that it doesn't sag down on to the bare AC leads. Hot glue can take care of this.

I do have a couple of hot-glue guns, so that should be no problem.

The wire used is 24 gauge IDE cable. But if you don't want to go that route, a spring holding the lid button down has the same effect as this. I just did this because I got to lazy to mess with the spring.

But using a permanent spring like that would mean that I'd have no way of making the PS1 recognize a real disc swap when needed, so I really think that your method with the extra switch is superior. With that switch closed undetected swapping can be done, and with the switch open the console works as normal. That's definitely the method to go for.

First picture is of the bottom side of the mother board. (scanners are great )

Yes, this picture was very clear and nice. I haven't yet dismantled my PS1 completely, but I opened it up enough to see that the placement of the lid switch does seem to match the 'footprint' of those four 'blobs' in a square formation with your switch leads connected to two of them. So even without having seen the underside of my board yet, I'm pretty sure it looks much the same as yours.

Second is of the back side of the case (I know my camera sucks)

It's sharp enough for this purpose anyway, and the picture shows that the exteriors of our models are virtually identical (as I'd expected), except for your extra switch of course.


The big question for me right now, determining whether there is any sense in going further with this or not, is if the disc I have (or any I can get) can serve as a swap disc, like your GameShark. I have no clue to this myself...

Best regards: dlanor

[gothi]

Oh! In that case I'm probably out of luck, as I've NEVER seen one of those over here, and finding one in this day and age is probably impossible.

The only semi-related disc I do have is an 'Action Replay' disc, but the instruction sheet (still preserved through some miraculous chance) doesn't mention anything about any 'swap' capabilities. It just has the expected info on how to use cheat codes. Even so, I do believe that 'Action Replay' is pretty much the same thing as the 'GameShark' though I'm not sure if their functionality is fully identical.

Back in the PSX hayday the Gameshark was just a rebadged Action Replay so you might have some luck with your version.

For those interested the history of AR/GS can be briefly described as such:

PSX: Action Replay and Gameshark are the same product but rebadged for the US market

PS2: For the first half of the consoles life it's the same, Action Replay and Gameshark (+ Xport/SharkPort) are the same product but rebaged for the US)

PS2 (second half): Datel decided to bring their product out under the universal Action Replay product name in most territories including the US. Blaze, run by an ex-Datel Employee, are brought in by the Gameshark brands new owners (I believe the brand was sold, I'm not sure if Blaze/Fire bought it or someone else took control of it.) Regardless, Datel products are no longer released under the Gameshark brand.

Xbox, GC, etc: All Datel products are released under the Action Replay brand. Blaze products are now released under 3 names, Gameshark, Xploder and Xplorer (I believe the Xplorer brand was dropped in favour of Xploder at some point though).

[dlanor]

Back in the PSX hayday the Gameshark was just a rebadged Action Replay so you might have some luck with your version.

Thanks for that confirmation. Of course, it still remains to be seen if this particular version can handle such swapping, but at least the odds look good enough to go ahead with the switch modification.


----- snip ----- re: AR/GS history
I did have a vague idea of some of that AR/GS connection, but I was surprised at your mention of Xploder in connection only with non-PS2 stuff. As far as I'm aware Xploder is supposed to be the PAL version of CodeBreaker, both for PS2, though I'm sure it also exists for the other consoles you mentioned.

Best regards: dlanor

[gothi]

Xploder is the European name for the Xplorer (both AR and the Xplorer, and aparently even the original Codebreaker, being UK made products). I lost track of what Blaze was releasing under what name some time ago but I believe it's along these lines:

Action Replay, old Gameshark: Datel
Xploder, Xplorer, new Gameshark: Blaze
Codebreaker: Pelican with involvement with Brian "CodeMaster" Black. Originally a Blaze product but no longer from when they got the new Gameshark deal with Mad Katz and broke off devevelopment of Codebreaker leaving it solely with Pelican and Brian.

As you mentioned, Blaze did of course do PSX software under the Xplorer/Xploder name but seem to have lost out to Datel on developing new products on the later consoles such as the Gamecube.

There's some interesting history with the cheat devices, particularily considering that the Xploder/Xplorer brand was developed by an ex Datel staffer. If I remember correctly the Xplorer cartridge ROMS and even the Dreamcast cheat product (can't remember which company made it) had little messages about, and to, the rival company and their staff.

[Bootlegninja]

@ dlanor - The spring can be removed to allow for disc recognition, but of course to load a new backup (ie disc 2 of whatever game your playing,) the AR or GS has to be reloaded and swap out for that new disc and load you game from where you left off. It can be a bit of a hassle, but seeing that replacement copies of my favorite games are becoming hard to find, its well worth it.

Sorry about not mentioning AR earlier as I don't own it or Codebreaker for ps1 and am unfamiliar with those. Thanks gothi for pointing that out. Interesting history on the cheat devices. That does clear alot of questions up that I've had.

[_zaphod_]

You can swap with 100% sucess rate without having a gameshark. but you must swap while the motor is still spinning.

THe plug in "game enhancer" (reflashed action replay/GS) can be used to swap boto games without risking the motor.

I know al about how to multiswap. i can eve get append discs working with it.

the principle is this. every time the psx goes to check the protection area, remove your backup and put in an original, then afte rthe protection check passes, swap back.

Your typical p1 checks twice. once at the end of the white screen, and once at the end of the blakc s creen.

So to do a basic perfect swap you watch the cd spin. as soon as your original starts to spin up to full speed, but before you get the black screen, swap. if you do i right th eblack screen will come up after the swap. you then watch the cd. i t will speed up, and then it will load the boot exe of the CD. THEN, it will slow down ad the laser will seek the protection area again. t this time, while the head is moving bakc you swap again. then when the blakc screen goes away, quickly swap your original back. in. this works 100% with zero glitches on all games.

Well except one type...

Anti-mod games will perform yet another protection check. They traditionally do this during the 'mem card screen' where the game checks for a memcard on boot. You then have to do another swap to satisfy the check. Provided that you burned the game with subchannel data (so the libcrypt key is present), and you tiem your swaps right the game will work 100%. While games often perform multiple checks of the libcrypt key, they will never check the protection area more than once.

Append discs and other disc changes are a lil trickier.

You have to clear the protection info after putting in your append disc by tripping the sensor switch to get the ps1 to recognise the disc change. THEN you swap for your original, then swap back. and, if th eappend disc has an anti-mod check, you have to swap past THAT one as well (i've done this with the DDR club append discs)

[Bootlegninja]

Interesting. I've tried doing something similar before with no success. But IMO the gs/ar method is easiest and safest way to go.